Massage table



July 27, 1948. H. D. NIBLACK 2,446,098

MASSAGE TABLE Filed July 18, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig E.

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y27, 1948. H. D. NlBLACk 2,446,098

MASSAGE TABLE Fil ed July 1a, 1946 "2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m Hum 77 v .5 INVENTOR.

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Patented July 27', 1948 Harley D. Niblack, Denver, Colo. Application July; is, 1946, Serial Nacsam This invention relates t'o a massaging table for thereduction of obesity and. hasfor. its principal object the provision of a device. of thischaracter which will combine in one machine means for accomplishing a wide variety of massaging cperations.

' Otherobjects and advantages reside in. the detail' construction of the invention, which. is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved massage table;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the frame of the improved massage table, illustrating the mechanical operating elements thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the supporting frame of the table of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section therethrough, taken on the line 4--4, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a detail, enlarged section, taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 3.

The improved massage table is supported on a supporting frame consisting of vertical members I which form the legs of the table, and horizontal members H which support the various machine elements. The supporting frame is enclosed by means of suitable ornamental side and end panels l2 which conceal the operating mechanism.

The frame supports a rectangular, padded table top l3 which projects beyond one end of the supporting frame, as shown in Fig. 1, and which is provided with a medial opening I4 through which massaging elements, to be later described, project. The opposite end of the supporting frame carries an open semi-annular cushion l projecting beyond that extremity of the frame.

The mechanical elements of the table consist of an electric motor l6 which drives a drive shaft l I through the medium of a V-belt l8 and V-belt pulleys l9. Current through the motor is controlled by means of a suitable start-stoprheostat 20, preferably mounted On one of the side panels [2.

The drive shaft I'I carries two drive pulleys 2| and 22, from which loose belts 23 and 24, respectively, extend. The belt 23 extends to a driven pulley 25 mounted on an eccentric shaft 3 Claims. (01. 128-57) 26. The belt 24 extends to a relatively large belt pulley 21 mounted on a counter-shaft Zil. The shafts I 1, 26, and 28' are mounted in suitable bearing [boxes 29 on the horizontal members It.

A pair of idler pulleys 30 are carried on the oppositely extending idler levers 3| secured on a counter-shaft 32 which extends to the exterior of the massage table, terminating in a control handle 33.

It can be readily seen that, if the handle 33 is shifted forward and back, it will cause the idler pulleys 30 to alternately tighten and loosen the belts 23 and 24 so as to cause the power from the motor It to be transmitted either to the eccentric shaft 26 or to the counter-shaft 28, as desired.

The rotation of the counter-shaft 28 is transmitted to a roller shaft 34 through the medium of a transmission belt 35. The roller shaft 34 carries two, spaced-apart roller supporting discs 36, between the peripheries of which a plurality of freely rotatable massaging rollers 31 extend. These rollers project into the opening defined by the cushion l5, as shown in Fig. 1.

The rotation of the eccentric shaft 26 is transmitted to an eccentric 38 mounted thereon. The eccentric 38 is surrounded by a split eccentric follower block 39, within which it is rotatable.

The follower block 39 is connected by means of a connecting rod 40 with an operating crank 4| secured to and extending downwardly from a rocker shaft 42. The rocker shaft extends completely across the table and is mounted in suitable bearing boxes 43 thereon.

Two arcuate, T-shaped, roller-supporting plates 44 are welded or otherwise secured to the shaft 42 and extend upwardly therefrom in aligned, spaced-apart relation.

A plurality of massage rollers 45 are journalled in and extend between the plates 44 so as to project above the supporting frame within the opening [4 of the table l3.

The operation of the device is believed to be readily apparent from the above. For certain types of massage the patient lies on the table l3 over the rollers 45. The lever 33 is swung to the left. This tightens the belt 23 and causes the eccentric to oscillate the plates 44, giving an oscillating roller action of the rollers 45 on the patient.

For other types of reduction the patient sits upon the cushion l5, holding selected portions of the legs against the rollers 31, or the patient may stand upon the floor within the embrace of the open cushion l5 and bring portions of the body to bear against the rollers 31. The lever 33 is then swung to the right, loosening the belt 23 and stop 3 ping action of the plates 44. This movement also tightens the belt 25 and causes the series of rollers 31 to rotate against those portions of the body it is desired to massage.

While a, specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A massage table comprising: a supporting frame; a table top on said frame extending beyond one extremity thereof; a semi-annular cushion extending beyond the other extremity of said.

table; a plurality of rotatably mounted rollers" supported by said table within the confines of said semi-annular cushion; a second plurality of reciprocally mounted rollers extending upwardly through an opening in the table top; and means for selectively imparting movement to either set of rollers as desired.

2. A massage table comprising: a supporting frame; a table top on said frame extending beyond one extremity thereof; a semi-annular cushion extending beyond the other extremity of said table; a plurality of rotatably mounted rollers supported by said table within the confines of said semi-annular cushion; a second plurality of reciprocally mounted rollers extending din'ally of said opening.

4 upwardly through an opening in the table top; an eccentric for imparting an eccentric motion to the second set of rollers; a drive shaft; and means for selectively connecting said drive shaft either to said eccentric or to said first set of rollers as desired.

3. A massage table comprising: a supporting frame; a horizontal table top supported by said frameran opening in saicl table top; a shaft extending horizontally aerosssaid frame below said opening; horizontal spaced apart, roller-supporting members mounted on and extending upwardly from said shaft at each side of said opening; ro-

tatable rollers journalled in and extending between said members and across said opening; and means for oscillating said members back and forthaboutthe axis of said shaft and longitu- HARLEY D. NIBLACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record' in the file of this patentf Y UNlTEDSTATES-PATENTS I 2,290,407 1 Collins July 21, 1942 

